Operational systems & SOPs
Turn the work that only lives in your head into documented, repeatable processes — so the business runs without you in every decision.
Fractional COO
A Fractional COO Who Builds the Systems, Not Just the Slide Deck
You need operational leadership, but a full-time COO costs six figures and you're not there yet. I run six of my own businesses on one operating system — and I'll build and run yours the same way. Operator, not advisor-only.
The same Business OS Nick runs across his own portfolio — built and operated for you.
The role
What a Fractional COO Does For You
A part-time COO covers the operational ground an owner shouldn't be stuck in — and a good one builds the machine instead of just diagnosing it.
Financial visibility & KPIs
Clean books, a real-time cash position, and the three or four numbers that actually predict the month — surfaced weekly, not at year-end.
Automation of manual ops
Invoicing, receipts, email triage, reporting, follow-ups — the repetitive work gets automated so your team spends time on what earns.
Hiring & delegation structure
Define roles, write the playbooks, and build the delegation layer so you can hand off work without it falling apart the moment you look away.
Weekly operating rhythm
A standing cadence — briefings, metrics review, priorities — that keeps the business moving forward instead of lurching from fire to fire.
Vendor & tooling decisions
Pick the right software, kill what you don't need, negotiate the contracts, and own the stack — so you're not paying for tools nobody uses.
Want the full menu of how this gets delivered? See services & pricing →
The difference
Operator vs Advisor
Most fractional COOs sell you a strategy and a Notion doc, then leave you to execute it. That's the gap where good plans go to die.
The advisor
Shows up for a call, asks good questions, hands you a deck and a roadmap, and bills for the meeting. The work — building the systems, wiring the automations, keeping the books current — still lands on you and the team you don't have time to manage.
This operator
Builds the operating system, connects your bank, stands up the automations, writes the SOPs, and runs the weekly rhythm — then keeps running it. You get the outputs, not a homework assignment. I do the same thing for my own six businesses every day.
The engagement
How We'd Work Together
It starts with a paid assessment so we both know the work is real, then settles into a monthly operating rhythm.
1 · Assessment
A $499 deep look at your operations, books, and bottlenecks. You leave with a prioritized plan whether or not we continue.
2 · Build
I stand up the operating system: books, KPIs, automations, SOPs, and the reporting you've been missing.
3 · Operate
A monthly retainer keeps it running — weekly briefings, current books, automations maintained, decisions made.
4 · Review
Monthly P&L and cash position, quarterly strategic review — so the numbers drive the next set of moves.
What it costs
Fractional COO Pricing
A real operator at a fraction of a full-time COO's salary — no benefits, no equity, no overhead.
AI Automation Assessment
The front door. A paid deep-dive into your operations with a prioritized build plan.
$499one-time
- Full review of ops, finances, and bottlenecks
- Prioritized roadmap of what to build first
- Honest read on whether a retainer even makes sense
- Credited toward your build if we move forward
The COO seat
Full Business Administration
The ongoing fractional COO retainer — your back office and operating rhythm, run for you.
$500–$1.5k/mo retainer
- Books kept current; monthly P&L and cash position
- KPI tracking and weekly operational briefings
- Invoicing, receipts, and email triage automated
- SOPs, vendor decisions, and system maintenance owned
- $500 single-biz · $1k multi-biz · $1.5k heavy + custom
Strategy-Only Advisory
If you have the hands to execute and just need the operational brain on call.
Customsee advisory
- Operational and financial strategy sessions
- KPI design and decision support
- Hiring, structure, and tooling guidance
- Best when your team handles the execution
Curious what a system like this actually looks like in the wild? See the portfolio →
Common questions
Fractional COO Questions
How many hours a month does a fractional COO work?
It varies by what you need, but most engagements land between a handful of hours a week and roughly a day a week. Because the system does the repetitive work — books, reporting, follow-ups — far less of the time goes to manual labor and far more to decisions and building. You pay for outcomes and a standing operating rhythm, not a timesheet.
What's the commitment — am I locked in?
No long contract. It starts with a one-time $499 assessment, and the retainer is month-to-month — cancel any time. Nothing breaks if you stop: the system runs on your machine and your accounts, so it stays yours.
Do you actually do the work, or just advise?
Both — strategy plus execution. I set the operational strategy and the KPIs, then I build the systems, wire the automations, keep the books current, and run the weekly rhythm. That's the whole point: most fractional COOs stop at advice and hand you the to-do list. I run the to-do list. If you only want the strategy half, the advisory track covers that.
How is this different from a part-time operations manager?
A part-time operations manager executes within systems someone else designed. A fractional COO designs the systems, sets the numbers that matter, and owns the operating rhythm — then executes too. You get the leadership altitude and the hands-on build in one seat, at a fraction of a full-time hire's cost.
Ready for an Operator in the COO Seat?
Start with the $499 assessment. You'll get an honest read on your operations and a prioritized plan — whether or not we work together after.
Questions? Email nick@bradfieldenterprises.org — we reply same day.